Lathe control



1951 E. P. BULLARDJIL, ETAL 2,579,998

LATHE CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1945 \NVENTDRS Enwnnn P. BULLARXLIII CLAUDE M GRINBCE LATHE CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1945 INVENT [1R5 Euwmm P. BULLARDIII CLAUDE M. GRINAGE W ATT RNE Y Dec. 25, 1951 E. P. BULLARD, 11L, EI'AL 2,579,998

LATHE CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 9, 1945 00010) OOOOQ0D (DOOGQQQQM DOOOOQOOM 0000 (DKDOOOQOQM IN V E N T 0R5 EBWA RD P. BuLLnHLLm CLAunE M CRINAGE ATTEI E. P. BULLARD,1]L ET AL 2,579,998

LATHE CONTROL Dec. 25, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 9, 1945 INVE NT DRE Enwnnu Flliuunnnm CLAUDE M. Gnmmcz ATT NEV NEH N Patented Dec. 25, 1951 LATHE CONTROL Edward P. Bollard, Ill, Fail-field, and Claude M. Grinage, Bridgeport, Coma, asslgnors to The Company! a corporation of Connecticut Application March 9, 1945, Serial No. 581,772 9 Claims. (Cl. 137-144) This invention relates to machine tools such as lathes, and particularly to a combined manual and automatic control mechanism for operating a machine tool.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a manual control mechanism wherein as many as eight different functions of the machine tool can be initiated by a single oscillatable shaft; the provision of such a, control wherein the shaft can be moved to any of its difierent positions from any other position and capable of readily passing through any intermediate positions; the provision of a manual control comprising a single rotatable shaft adapted to be moved to a plurality of diilerent angular positions for operating a plurality of change gears simultaneously in different combinations to produce as many as sixteen different rates of feed movement of a machine tool head; the provision of such a feedmovement control wherein the shaft can be moved to any of its different angular positions from any other angular position and capable of readily passing through any intermediate angular positions; the provision of a control including two shafts, each adapted to be moved to different angular positions for causing a machine tool head to perform as many as eight functions and to move at as many as sixteen diil'erent feed rates; the provision of a control mechanism including three closely spaced shafts, each adapted to be moved to different angular positions for manually setting up three conditions in a machine tool, causing eight functions to be performed by a tool head and movement of the tool head at as many as sixteen difierent rates of feed; the provision of a control mechanism for,

machine tools including a plurality of valves adapted selectively to be operated both automatically and manually and in which the automatic means can be rendered effective simultaneously with rendering the manual means ineffective and vice versa; and the provision of a combined automatic and manual control embodylng all of the preceding manual and automatic control features conjointly.

The above, as well as other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a lathe embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along line 3-8 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a detail of the invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken substantially along line 8-6 of Figure 3, showing the arrangement of one of the valves in position for automatic operation for controlling the feed movement of the tool head;

Figure 7 is a view showing the parts of Figure 6 in position for manual operation;

Figure 8 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along line 8-8 of Figure 3 showing one of the function control valves and its tappet in position for automatic operation;

Figure 9 is a. view of the parts of Figure 8 in position for manual operation;

Figure 10 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along line Iii-40 of Figure 3 showing one of the traverse valves and its tappet in position for automatic operation;

Figure 11 is a. view of the parts of Figure 10 in position for manual control;

Figure 12 is a sectional elevation taken substantially along line l2-l2 of Figure 3, showin another feed valve and its tappet in position for automatic operation; and

Figure 13 is a view of the parts of Figure 12 in position for manual operation.

Referring to Figure l of the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to a horizontal-vertical turret lathe comprising a bed B to which is fixed at the right-hand side thereof a headstock H for imparting different rates of rotation to a work-supporting chuck Cw. A cross rail R is fixed to the bed B and supports a horizontallymovable saddle S. A turret T is mounted on a slide that is vertically movable on the saddle S. The turret T is located above and behind the work-supporting chuck Cw and is accessible from the front of the lathe. A feedworks transmissior F includes variable-speed gearing for controlling he movement of the saddle S and the slide on which the turret is mounted and recelves its power from the headstock H. A control mechanism C adjacent the feedworks F is adapted automatically to cause the feedworks F to perform every function of which it is capable. The control C also includes mechanism for permltting an operator manually to control the feedworks F to cause the turret to perform any of its functions. Supplementary control mechanism C and C" operates in conjunction with the control mechanism C and functions to determine when the control C is rendered eflective in acoordance with successive movements of the turret T along its paths of motion within a cycle of operation.

The bed B comprises a base to the rear of which a vertically-disposed upright 2| is rigidly secured. The headstock H is enclosed within a housing 22 located in front of upright 2i and on the right-hand side of base 20. The headstock transmission forms no part of the present invention and may be of any form, for example similar to the variable-speed headstock transmission shown, described and claimed in application Serial Number 443.992, flied May 21, 1942, which issued on September 18, 1945, as Patent Number 2,384,809 in the name of E. P. Bullard. III, et al.. to which application reference is directed for specific features of construction thereof. The headstock transmission H is adapted selectively, by automatic and manual means, to rotate chuck Cw at different rates of rotation. The chuck comprises a table 23 and a horizontally-disposed spindle (not shown) that is adapted to be driven by the headstock H. The table 23 is located in a vertical plane for chucking work W horizontally, and when necessary, a removable, adjustable tailstock 24 is provided for centering long pieces of work. The cross rail R is integral with the standard 21 and includes two ways 26 and 21 that support the saddle S for horizontal sliding movement A slide 28 mounted on saddle S supports -the turret T which latter is adapted to be indexed from station to station by a motor 29. The saddle S, turret T and its indexing mechanism is substantially the same as that shown and described in the above-noted patent application Serial Number 443,992. Horizontal movement of the saddle S is caused by the rotation of a screw 30; and vertical movement of the slide 28 is caused by the rotation of a splined shaft 3|. The screw 30 and the splined shaft 3| are adapted to be rotated at different rates of speed in both directions for feeding the turret T and at a relatively fast rate to traverse the said turret by the feedworks I".

With the turret T located above and behind the work-supporting chuck 23, the work can easily be chucked without interfering with the tools fixed to the turret. Furthermore, during working operations, the metal removed from the work falls away from the tools and, therefore, does not interfere with their proper functioning. Location of the headstock H and the chuck 23 on the right-hand side of the bed 3 with the turret above and behind the work makes it possible to rotate the chuck 23 in a counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, so that the force incident to the removal of metal from the work urges the tools and the turret toward the upright 2| and still permits the use of right-handed drills, taps, reamers, etc., to be employed with the turret T for drilling, reaming and tapping the work. This combination of the turret and headstock locations has a distinct advantage over the usual left-hand location of the headstock and chuck since proper rotation of the chuck with the latter construction for forcing the tools and turret toward the frame of the machine requires the use of left-handed drills, taps and reamers Conversely, the rotation of the chuck to permit the use of right-handed drills, etc., forces the tools and turret away from the machine frame. which is undesirable because the tools cannot adequately be supported.

The control unit C, together with the supplemental controls C and C" are similar to the control unit 1" and its supplemental control Fa of application Serial Number 541,986, filed June 24, 1944, which issued on November 7, 1950, as Patent Number 2,528,736, in the name of E. I. Bullard, III. It is similar insofar as the results obtainable are concerned, but differs in specific features of construction which form the basis of part of the present invention. Inasmuch as the present invention deals with a modification of the structure of the control F of application Serial Number 541,986, specific description of the entire control mechanism is believed inadvisable and reference to said application is directed for specific features of construction not specifically shown and described herein.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, the control unit C includes a function drum 82 that is mounted for rotation about horizontally-disposed bearings 83 and 24. The drum I2 includes a plurality of circumferentially-disposed tapped openings 35 that are arranged in axially-aligned rows about the drum 92. Dogs 3'5 are adapted selectively to be fixed to the drum 32 by screws 31 that thread into the openings 35. There is a circumferential series of holes 39 on the drum 32 for each of sixteen valves that correspond with the sixteen valves shown in Figure 39 of application Serial Number 443,992. Other rows of holes 35 are usually provided on the drum 32 for operating other parts of the lathe similar to that disclosed in said application Serial Number 443,992.

In the present invention, the sixteen valves are provided with tappets 38 to 53, inclusive. These tappets are adapted automatically to be operated as the drum 32 is indexed step by step about its horizontal axis, which indexing occurs upon the completion of the last preceding operation, all in the manner shown and described in application Serial Number 541,986. Tappets II to 52 are additionally adapted manually to be selectively actuated for permitting the operator to manually control the lathe. The tappets 28, 40, 42, 44, 48, 42, ill and 52 control eight valves for providing eight different functions of the turret T including movement leftwardly, rightwardly, upwardly and downwardly at both feed and traverse rates. Tappets 39. ll, 42 and 45 are each adapted to be actuated in combination with all four of the tappets 41, 49, 5i and 53 for producing sixteen different rates of movement of the turret T in any of the four directions selected by the operation of tappets 38, 40, 42 and 44.

When the tappets 38 to 53 are adapted automatically to be operated by the function drum 32, they must not be capable of operation by the manual means; and, when it is desired to operate these tappets by the manual means, they must not be capable of being operated by the function drum 3!. Accordingly, all of the tappets 39 to II are pivotally mounted for oscillatable movement on a common shaft 54 which is fixed at its opposite ends to pistons 55 and I6. Pistons II and 58 are adapted to be reciprocated within cylinders I! and 58 which are adapted to be supplied with fluid under pressure through ducts 59, BI, 59, 89', located on opposite sides of the pistons within the cylinders 51 and i8 respec-- tively. Referring to Figure 5, wherein a schematic arrangement of the piston 55 and its control valve is shown, the valve 6| is provided with a fluid pressure inlet 82 and an exhaust port 82. The ducts I9 and 82 leading to the cylinder 51 and valve 8| are constantly supplied with fluid under pressure, and when the valve BI is in the position shown in the upper portion of Figure 5. the lower end of the cylinder is exhausted to the port 88 whereupon the piston ll descends. A similar action occurs in the cylinder 88 and consequently the shaft ll descends from the position shown in Figure 6 to the position shown in Figure 7, thereby removing the tappets 88 to II from a position where they will cooperate with the function drum 8! to a position where they do not cooperate with said function drum. Movement of the valve II to the position shown in the intermediate and lower portions of Figure causes the pressure fluid to pass through the line If to the bottom of the cylinder 81, forcing the piston 88 upwardly thereby moving the shaft II from the position shown in Figure 'l to the position shown in Figure 8. since the effective area of piston 88 subjected to the fluid from valve ll is greater than the effective area of piston it subjected to the pressure fluid from line 88.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a single oscillatable shaft adapted to be moved to a plurality of angular positions in each of two axial positions of the shaft for operating the tappets I8, l8, 42, ll. l8. l8. l8 and 02. Referring to Figure 3, a shaft 84 is located in the lower portion of the housing for the control C. It includes tappet-operating dogs 85, 88, 81 and 88 that are adapted, with shaft it in its one axial position and shaft II in its lower position, to operate tappets 88, l8, l8 and 48 through the action of intermediate levers 38', 48', 48' and I8; and in another axial position to operate tappets 42, ll, 58 and 62 through the action of in termediate levers ll, 44', I8 and if. The shaft 84 extends outwardly through the front of the housing for the control C and is provided with a hand lever 88. Referring to Figure 2, the hand lever 68 is adapted to be moved to four positions, two in each quadrant from the position shown in Figure 2. Referring to Figure 3, the shaft 84 is provided with two fingers I8 and II spaced apart an amount equal to the axial movement of the shaft 84. A boss I! on the front of the housing for the control mechanism C surrounds shaft 84 and includes a keyway 18 adapted to receive the finger I8 and permit axial movement of shaft 84 only when the hand lever 88 is in its neutral or vertically-upward position. Referring to Figures 3 and 4. two rods It and II extend through the boss 12 and protrude into slots 1! and 11. The protrusions of the rods II, II into the slots 18, I1 cooperate with the fingers II and 18 to prevent more than 180 degrees movement of the hand lever 88. The finger I8 is located 180 degrees from the location of the finger Ii. With the shaft 84 in its outer position, as shown in Figure 3, the finger ll cooperates with the upper half of an index plate 18 (Fig. 2). Accordinsiy. upon movement of the hand lever 88, the finger 1. indicates the function set up within the feedworks F as shown by the index, feed left, feed right, left traverse, and right traverse. with the hand lever 88 in its vertically upward position, the shaft 84 can be axially moved so that the finger 18 moves through the keyway It to the rear groove 11. when this occurs, the dogs GI, 08, 81 and 88 move out of alignment with the tappets 88, l8, l0 and 48 into alignment with the tappets 82, M, 88, I2, whereupon the hand lever 88 can be moved to the same four angular positions setting up four different functions within the feedworks F, as indicated by the finger ll pointing to the index, down traverse. feed down. feed up and up traverse-located on the lower half of plate 18 (Fig. 2). From the foregoing it is evident that the shaft 84 can be moved to four angular positions when in each of two axial positions. In order to insure correct location of the four axial positions, four parallel grooves II are formed in the rear end of the shaft 84 that cooperate with a spring-pressed detent 88.

The tappets 88, 40, .2 and 84. together with their valve mechanisms are identical and, therefore, only the tappet 88 and its corresponding valve structure will be spec fically described. Referring to Figure 6, a manifold 81 extends throughout the length of the housing for the control C and supports in aligned relation, the various valves that are adapted to be actuated by the various tappets. The tappet 38 is of generally inverted L-shaped construction having a head portion 82 that overlies a valve 88 located within the manifold II. The manifold 8| includes a pressure chamber 8| common to all valves 88, the pressure fluid in which constantly reacts on the lower ends of the valves 83 forcing them upwardly into abutting relation with a ledge that overlies the top of the valves 88. thereby limiting their upward movement. In Figure 6, the shaft 54 is in its upper position so that a do 38 on the function drum 3! is adapted to operate the tappet 38 upon indexing of the drum. Upon this indexing action, the valve 83 associated with tappet 38 is forced downwardly within the manifold 8| such that pressure from chamber 84 passes through ducts 88 into the central passage of the valve 88, thence through ports 81 to duct 88 leading to a valve 88 that is located between the valves 88 and certain of he operating structure of the feedworks F. This valve 89 is the same as the valve mechanism MI in the previously referred to application Serial Number 541,986. The fluid under pressure passes through the valve 88 to one of the shiftable clutches of the feedworks F causing a certain function of the turret T to be initiated. Upon completion of the function set up by the action of valve 83. the valve 89 is operated in the manner that the valve mechanism "I is operated in application Serial Number 541,986, thereby exhausting the fluid from the clutch mechanism through an exhaust 88. Substantially simultaneously with the exhausting through port 98, the dog 88 on drum 8! moves in a clockwise direction away from the head 82 of the tappet 88, thereby permitting the pressure within the chamber 84 to force the valve 88 upwardly to its non-effective position.

Movement of valve 5i (Fig. 5) by its hand lever 8! to the position shown in the upper portion of Figure 5 causes the shaft I4, together with tappet 88, to move downwardly as viewed in Figure 7, so that the dog 38 on the drum 32 will clear the head" of the tappet 38. However, in this lowered position, the depending portion of the tappet 38 moves into cooperative position relatively to the upper head portion 8| of the lever 88'. Accordingly, oscillation of the shaft 84 will cause the dog 85 thereon to move the lever 38' in a clockwise direction, thereby causing the tappet 38 to move in a counter-clockwise direction, forcing the valve 88 downwardly causing the same function to occur that was caused by the action of tappet 38 in depressing valve 83 when operated by dog 88 on drum 8!.

Referring to Figure 10, the valve 83 is identical with the valve 83 of Figure 6. However, it is combined with a time-delay mechanism 82 which is identical with, and functions the same as the time-delay mechanism shown in Figures 44, 45

and 46 of application Serial Number 443,992. Movement of the valve 83 of Figure 10 downwardly causes pressure fluid from chamber 84 to pass into the chamber 83 between the two pistons 94 and 95 that are normally urged into engagement with the pin 08. Due to the differential area of the two pistons, 94 moves downwardly throughout the extent of its travel before piston 95 moves upwardly. providing a timedelay of the movement of the piston ll. Movement of the piston 85 upwardly uncovers a pressure port 91 permitting the flow of fluid under pressure therefrom to the valve 88 and thence to a traverse clutch-shifting mechanism within the feedworks F. Referring to Figure 11, downward movement of the shaft 54 moves the tappet 46 out of cooperation with the function drum 3! such that the depending end of tappet 48 coperates with lever 46' which is adapted manually to be operated by the action of the dog 81 upon oscillation of the shaft 64. Cooperation between dog BI and lever 46' operates valve 83 of Figure 11 to produce the same function caused by the operation of this valve by the drum 3! as described in connection with Figure 10.

The valves 83 operated by the tappets I9, 48, 43 and 45 must be operated in combination with valves 81 for tappets 41. 49, ii and 53. Specifically, the valve ill for tappet 38 must be operated with each of the valves 83 for tappets 41, 49, II and i3, and the same goes for valves 81 for the tappets Ii, 43 and 45. The present invention proposes to employ a single shaft adapted to be moved to sixteen different angular positions for operating these valves 88 in the proper combinations above described. This has been accomplished by providing a shaft 98 journaled in bearings 99 and Hill in the housing for the control C. The shaft 98 includes four quadrant cams llll, I2, I03 and I04 each of which maintains the valves 83 for tappets 38, 4|, 4! and 4S effective respectively throughout succeeding QO-degree intervals of rotation of the shaft 98 when the shaft '4 is in its lower position as shown in Figure 9. Referring to Figure 8, the shaft 54 is shown in its upper position so that a dog 38 on drum II can cooperate with it to force the valve II downwardly, thereby admitting pressure fluid from the chamber 84 to a line Hi5 leading to one of the feed-operating clutches within the transmission F. Referring to Figure 12, the tappet II is adapted to be operated simultaneously with the operation of thetappet 39 to produce one of the sixteen different rates of feed travel of the turret '1. all as more fully described in application Serial Number 443,992. The construction of the tappet 53 is identical with the tappet 39 and is operated by drum 32 in identically the same manner when the shaft 54 is in its upper position. However, when the shaft 54 is in its lower position as shown in Figure 13, the tappet II is adapted to be operated by the manual rotation of the shaft 98 once each time the cams iill, Ill}, I03 and I04 operate tappets 39, 4!, 43 and 45. Similarly, the tappets ii, 49 and 41 are adapted to be operated once each time the cams llll, I02, I03 and I04 are effective, but at individually different times. Accordingly. there is provided a series of four dogs I06 spaced at QO-degree intervals about the shaft 98 which are adapted to actuate the tappet 53 four times during a complete revolution of the shaft 88. There is a similar series of four dogs spaced 90 degrees apart about the shaft 98 for each of the tappets Ii, 49 and 41. but each series is out of phase with its adJacent series by twenty-two and one-half degreu. Accordingly, each successive twenty-two and one-half degree angular movement of the shaft III will successively and separately operate all ofthe tappets 41:40, II and 53 during each quarter revolution of shaft 88; and during each said quarter revolution, one of tappets ll, 4|, 43 and 45 is continuously maintained effective.

The shaft 88 extends outwardly through the one wall of the housing for the control C and has fixed to its outer extremity a dial Ill containing an index that cooperates with a stationary pointer II for identifying the rate of feed of the turret T, for any given angular position of the shaft 88. The cams and dogs on the shaft 88 operate the respective tappets for forcing the various valves 83 against the action of the pressure fluid in chamber 84. Inasmuch as two of these tappets must simultaneously be operated each time a new feed is selected. a substantial force is required to turn the shaft 08. Therefore. a Bear I08 is fixed to the shaft '8 inside the housing for the control C and meshes with a worm Ill integral with a shaft Ill joumaled in a m formed in the one side of the housing for thacontrol C. The shaft III has fixed to it a crank i I3 so that rotation of the crank causes rotation of the shaft 98. The construction and arrangement of the parts are such that a rotation of the crank H3 causes shaft 98 to move through twenty-two and one-half degrees, or the distance between successive numerals on the dial lll'l.

Referring to Figure 2, the hand lever ii includes a pointer 4 which cooperates with a plate III containing three identifying indices, namely, manual, automatic stop and automatic run. With the hand lever ii in the position shown in Figure 2, the apparatus is set for manual control such that the shaft 64 is in its lower position and the tappets 38 and 53 have been moved out of cooperative position relatively to the function drum 3! and into cooperative position with regard to the manually-controlled mechanism including lever 69 and crank iii. Movement of the hand lever 6| so that pointer I I4 is adjacent auto stop (see also Fig. 5) causes the shaft 54 to be moved to its upper position so that the tappets 38 to II are in cooperative position relatively to the function drum 3!. With the apparatus set for automatic stop. the function being performed at the time such setting is made is completed and the apparatus is stopped at the end thereof in the same manner, and by the same means as shown and described in application Serial Number 541,986. With the hand lever 6| in the position shown in the lower portion of Figure 5, the apparatus is set for auto run and the shaft 54, together with the tappets 38 to II are still maintained in their upper position in cooperative relation relatively to the function drum 3!. With the apparatus in the auto run" condition, it successively performs the functions pre-set on the function drum 3! by the same means, and in the same manner as disclosed in application Serial Number 541,986.

Although the various features of the improved control mechanism have been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of the invention, it will be evident that numerous changes can be made in such details and certain features can be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Control apparatus for a machine tool inasvaoos cluding a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted selectively to be operated; control means: removable means adapted to be set at different positions about said control means; means for successively rendering said removable means effective; separate means for rendering said removable means effective and ineffective; a single oscillatable shaft. adapted, when said removable means is rendered ineffective by said separate means, to be moved in one direction to a plurality of angular positions from a neutral position for operating and releasing certain of said valves, to be moved in another direction to a plurality of angular positions from said neutral position for operating and releasing certain other of said valves; and means providing for axial movement of said shaft so that its movement to said angular positions operates other valves.

2. Control apparatus for a machine tool including a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted selectively to be operated;control means; removable means adapted to be set at different positions about said control means; means for successively rendering said removable means effective; separate means for rendering said removable means effective and ineffective; a separate tappet for each valve; a single oscillatable shaft, including tappet-operating means adapted, when said removable means is rendered ineffective by said separate means, to be moved in one direction to a plurality of angular positions from a neutral position for operating and releasing certain of said tappets. to be moved in another direction to a plurality of angular positions from said neutral position for operating and releasing certain other of said tappets; and means providing for axial movement of said shaft so that said tappet-operating means is moved out of cooperating position relatively to said certain tappets and into cooperating position relatively to other of said tappets.

3. Control apparatus for a machine tool including a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted selectively to be operated; a single oscillatable shaft adapted to be moved to a plurality of different angular positions for operating and releasing certain of said valves; means providing for axial movement of said shaft so that certain other of said valves are adapted to be operated when said shaft is moved to said different angular positions; another shaft adapted to be moved to a number of angular positions equal to the number of possible combinations procurable with certain of said valves: and means on said other shaft for continuously operating certain of said valves while others that are to be operated in combination therewith are individually operated.

4. Control apparatus for a machine tool including a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted selectively to be operated; a separate tappet for each valve: a single oscillatable shaft, including tappet-operating means adapted to be moved in one direction to a plurality of angular positions from a neutral position for operating and releasing certain of said tappets, to be moved in another direction to a plurality of angular positions from said neutral position for operating and releasing certain other of said tappets; means providing for axial movement of said shaft so that said tappet-operatingsmeans is moved out of cooperating position relatively to said certain tappets and into cooperating position relatively to other of said tappets; another shaft adapted to be moved to a number of angular positions equal to the number of ossible combina ions i0 procurable with certain of said valves; and means on said other shaft for continuously operating certain of said valves while others that are to .be operated in combination therewith are individually operated.

5. In a control mechanism for a machine tool, a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted selectively to be operated individually and a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted to be operated in various combinations; 9. function-selecting means adapted to be pre-set on said selecting means to operate any of said valves at any sta tion to which said selecting means is indexed; an oscillatable shaft adapted to be moved to a plurality of angular positions for operating and releasing certain of said valves; means providing for axial movement of said shaft so that certain other of said valves are adapted to be actuated when said shaft is moved to said difierent angular positions; a second shaft adapted to be moved to a number of angular positions equal to the number of possible combinations procurable with those valves that are adapted to be operated in combination; means on said second shaft for continuously operating certain of said valves while others that are adapted to be operated in combination therewith are individually operated; and means for causing said valves to cooperate with said function-selecting means and be free from cooperation with said shaft. or to cooperate with said shafts and be free from cooperation with said function-selecting means.

6. In a control mechanism for a machine tool, a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted selectively to be operated individually and a plurality of fluid-control valves adapted to be operated in various combinations; a function-selecting means adapted to be pre-set; a separate tappet for each of said valves; means adapted to be pre-set on said selecting means for operating any of said valve tappets at any station to which said selecting means is indexed; an oscillatable shaft, including tappet-operating means adapted to be moved in one direction to a plurality of angular positions from a neutral position for operating and releasing certain of said tappets, to be moved in another directionto a plurality of angular positions from said neutral position for operating and releasing certain other of said tappets; means for axially moving said shaft so that said tappet-operating means is moved out of cooperating position relatively to said certain tappets and into cooperating position relatively to other of said tappets; a second shaft adapted to be moved to a number of angular positions equal to the number of possible combinations procurable with those valves that are adapted to be operated in combination; means on said second shaft for continuously operating certain of said valves while others that are to be operated in combination therewith are individualy operated; and means for bodily moving all of said tappets from a position where they cooperate with said functionselecting means and be free from cooperation with said shafts, or to a position where they cooperate with said shafts and be free from cooperation with said function-selecting means.

'7. Control apparatus for a machine tool including sixteen fluid-control valves certain of wh ch are adapted selectively to be operated individually and others are adapted to be operated in combination; a separate tappet for each valve; an oscillatable shaft including tappet-operating means for four of said valves, said tappet-operating means being angularly disposed about the asvqoea 11 periphery of said shaft so that movement of said shaft to four diiferent angular positions will' operate four of said tappets individually: means providing for axial movement of said shaft so that said tappet-operating means is moved out of cooperating position relatively to said iour tappets and into cooperating position relatively to four other of said tappets; another shaft adapted to be moved to at least sixteen different angular positions; and means on said other shaft for operating four other of said tappets in combination with each of the four remaining tappets.

8. Control, apparatus for a machine tool including a plurality of fluid-control valves: means adapted to be pre-set for selectively operating said valves: manually-operable means including two shafts adapted to be moved to diiierent angular positions for operating said valves; and

a third shalt adapted to be moved to an angular position for causing said pre-settable means to become eii'ective. to another angular position for causing said manually-operable means to become eflective and to a third angular position for causing said control apparatus to stop upon the completion of an operation within a cycle of operations.

9. Control apparatus for a machine tool including sixteen fluid-control valves; means adapted to be pre-set for selectively operating said valves; a shaft adapted to be moved to diiierent angular positions for operating eight different valves for producing eight different functions: another shaft adapted to be moved to diii'erent angular positions for operating each of iour of said valves in combination with four others to produce sixteen diflerent functions: and a third shaft adapted to be moved to one ailsular position for causing said pre-settabie means to become effective, to anotherangular position for causing said two shafts to become eflective and to a third angular position for causing said control apparatus to stop upon completion of an operation within a cycle of operations.

EDWARD P. BUILARD, I11.

CLAUDE M. GRINAGE.

assurances cum 7 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,579,998

December 25, 1951 EDWARD P. BULLARD, III, ET AL. It is herebge certified that error appears in the rinted specification of the above num red patent requiring correction as ollows:

Column 10, line 11, after pre-set insert the semi-colon and words means adapted to be pre-set; line 30, for shaft read shafts; and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of March, A. D. 1952.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant C'ommz'esioner of Patents.

asvqoea 11 periphery of said shaft so that movement of said shaft to four diiferent angular positions will' operate four of said tappets individually: means providing for axial movement of said shaft so that said tappet-operating means is moved out of cooperating position relatively to said iour tappets and into cooperating position relatively to four other of said tappets; another shaft adapted to be moved to at least sixteen different angular positions; and means on said other shaft for operating four other of said tappets in combination with each of the four remaining tappets.

8. Control, apparatus for a machine tool including a plurality of fluid-control valves: means adapted to be pre-set for selectively operating said valves: manually-operable means including two shafts adapted to be moved to diiierent angular positions for operating said valves; and

a third shalt adapted to be moved to an angular position for causing said pre-settable means to become eii'ective. to another angular position for causing said manually-operable means to become eflective and to a third angular position for causing said control apparatus to stop upon the completion of an operation within a cycle of operations.

9. Control apparatus for a machine tool including sixteen fluid-control valves; means adapted to be pre-set for selectively operating said valves; a shaft adapted to be moved to diiierent angular positions for operating eight different valves for producing eight different functions: another shaft adapted to be moved to diii'erent angular positions for operating each of iour of said valves in combination with four others to produce sixteen diflerent functions: and a third shaft adapted to be moved to one ailsular position for causing said pre-settabie means to become effective, to anotherangular position for causing said two shafts to become eflective and to a third angular position for causing said control apparatus to stop upon completion of an operation within a cycle of operations.

EDWARD P. BUILARD, I11.

CLAUDE M. GRINAGE.

assurances cum 7 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,579,998

December 25, 1951 EDWARD P. BULLARD, III, ET AL. It is herebge certified that error appears in the rinted specification of the above num red patent requiring correction as ollows:

Column 10, line 11, after pre-set insert the semi-colon and words means adapted to be pre-set; line 30, for shaft read shafts;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of March, A. D. 1952.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant C'ommz'esioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,579,998 December 25, 1951 EDWARD P. BULLARD, III, ET AL.

It is herebg'e certified that error appears in the rinbed specification of e above num red patent requiring correction as ollows:

Column 10, line 11, after pre-set insert the semi-colon and words means adapted to be pare-set; line 30, for shaft read shafts;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read .as corrected above, so that the same may coniorm to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of March, A. D. 1952.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Am'atant Commissioner of Patents. 

